i had a really really really bad infection on my big toe. well it pretty much ate up my whole toe and now its starting to heal. the black is sllloooowwwwly being replaced by red and then by pink skin. the last couple of day its really started to smell.. i dont now how to describe the smell but its really stinky. its not cause i dont take care of it or anything cause a nurse comes to my house everyday and changes my bandages and makes sure everything is clean. she noticed it smelled but didnt know what it was.

my question is: is it normal for wounds to have like an odor to them?? its still very much healing and getting better. short of hanging a little tree air freshner on it i dont know what to do.

i had a really really really bad infection on my big toe. well it pretty much ate up my whole toe and now its starting to heal. the black is sllloooowwwwly being replaced by red and then by pink skin. the last couple of day its really started to smell.. i dont now how to describe the smell but its really stinky. its not cause i dont take care of it or anything cause a nurse comes to my house everyday and changes my bandages and makes sure everything is clean. she noticed it smelled but didnt know what it was.

my question is: is it normal for wounds to have like an odor to them?? its still very much healing and getting better. short of hanging a little tree air freshner on it i dont know what to do.

any suggestions or in-sights would be very much apprieciated

smelly toe supergirl

A healthy wound never smells bad; only infected ones do. The nurse that changes your dressing should have known this and suggested that you see a doctor about it. Do it soon as only anti-biotics will clear up the wound and you don't want the infection to get worse or to spread.

A healthy wound never smells bad; only infected ones do. The nurse that changes your dressing should have known this and suggested that you see a doctor about it. Do it soon as only anti-biotics will clear up the wound and you don't want the infection to get worse or to spread.

a smell coming from a wound does not mandate that antibiotics are necessary
wounds below the waist get colonised by faecal bacteria but unless there is marked redness around the wound or B-haemolytic strep are found antibiotic treatment is not necessary